Fireworks

by SME

Another fic formerly posted on the RUNHP. Niles has a girlfriend. How will C.C. react?

Fireworks

Niles gazed down at the beautiful woman lying in bed beside him, feeling like one of the luckiest men in the world. The open drapes and the full moon allowed him to take full advantage of the delicious view. He greedily appraised his companion's smooth milk chocolate skin, her glossy black hair, and her supple naked body and resisted the temptation to wake her for another round of lovemaking. With a pang of regret, he tamped down his carnal urges and carefully slipped out of bed. It would be dawn soon, and he needed to get home.

Marta Santos awakened when she felt him leave the bed. She rolled into the warm spot he had vacated and stretched luxuriously. "I wish you could stay," she said, demurely pulling the covers around her.

Niles smiled down at her as he buttoned his shirt. "I'm sorry; I didn't mean to wake you. You looked so lovely and serene, a true sleeping beauty." He tucked in his shirt and put on his tie, feeling a little silly as he did so. What did it matter if his tie was tied at this time of morning?

Marta reached up and grabbed the tie, mussing his perfect knot, and pulled him down so she could reach his mouth. He eagerly returned the kiss until he felt her trying to undo the buttons he had only just buttoned. "Marta, please," he gasped with pleasure, "don't do this to me. I simply have to go." He broke away from her and stood up before he found himself back in bed.

She flopped backward onto the pillows and sighed, "Niles, will we ever get to spend an entire night together?"

He nodded toward the window. "We did a pretty good job of it last night. It's almost daylight."

Frustrated, Marta replied in her slight Hispanic accent, "But I want to fall asleep in your arms knowing that neither of us has to go anywhere or do anything except be together."

"Me, too. I promise, the next weekend we both can get off work, we will go someplace special."

"Swear?"

"I swear." He leaned down and gave her one last quick kiss before tucking the covers around her. "Try to go back to sleep."

He was half way out the door when he heard her say, "Niles, I love you."

Surprised by Marta's declaration, he slowly turned around and faced her. He knew she was waiting for his response, but he wasn't sure what to say. He swallowed hard and asked himself, Do I love her? There was certainly no doubt that he cared for her deeply, but was it love? Marta's eyes were dark brown, almost black, but even in the dark bedroom, he could feel her eyes pinning him in place, expecting him to answer, expecting him to say it back. He cared about Marta very much, and he wanted nothing more than to make her happy, but to Niles, it seemed as if something or someone was nagging at the back of his mind, willing him not to say those three little words to her. After deliberating for as long as he dared, he decided to take the plunge. "I love you, too." He shrugged off the uneasy feeling in the pit of his stomach as fear of commitment. Stop being such a coward, he ordered himself as he quickly stepped out the door and closed it behind him before Marta had the chance to take the conversation any further.

TNTNTNTNTNTN

As quietly as humanly possible, Niles unlocked the back door of the Sheffield mansion and let himself into the kitchen. So far, none of the family, except Miss Fine who could smell a secret like a bloodhound, had caught on to his increasingly more frequent late nights. He knew it would be much easier on him if none of the rest of them knew he was spending most of his nights and well into the mornings at Marta's. He was on his way in the darkness to the back stairs when the lights suddenly switched on.

"Freeze, Mister!"

"Miss Fine!" he yelped, "You scared the living daylights out of me!"

Fran shook her finger at him. "It's about time you came dragging home. Do you know what time it is?"

Niles grinned at her. "Sorry, Mum. I didn't realize I have a curfew."

"What kept you up so late?" She snickered mischievously, "Marta again? Come on, dish!"

Niles wanted to get off the subject of Marta. He wasn't ready to discuss his deepening feelings for her, not even with Fran, who was his closest friend, next to his employer, Maxwell Sheffield. "Aren't you awake awfully early? Couldn't you sleep? You didn't have that nightmare again about all the stores being sold out of hairspray, did you?"

"Nah, I just felt like a little snack." She grabbed a pint of Chunky Monkey out of the freezer and rummaged in the silverware drawer until she found a spoon and began to eat out of the carton.

He wrinkled his nose. "Ice cream at this hour?"

"What? Breakfast is another three, three and a half hours away."

"It wouldn't be if you woke up on time," he replied dryly.

Fran banged the silverware drawer shut with her hip then pushed Niles over to the kitchen table and made him sit down with her. "Stop changing the subject. Now, tell me about your date. You and Marta are getting pretty hot and heavy."

He couldn't help but beam. "It's terrific, huh? We had a great time last night."

She elbowed him suggestively. "Obviously! I can tell by the way your shirt is buttoned up wrong."

Niles looked down at the mismatched buttons on his shirt and blushed. He was quiet for a moment before finally admitting in a low, serious tone, "Tonight, Marta told me that she loves me. I know she really means it, too. Do you know how long I've waited to hear those words from someone who means it?"

"Oy! Do I? Me and you have been in the same boat for a long time, pal. I'm glad one of us has finally found someone who will say the words." Fran felt a dull ache spread in her chest. She was happy for Niles, but wished she could have the same thing he had found for herself, preferably with Maxwell Sheffield.

Fran's mixed reaction wasn't lost on Niles. Except for her mother, Sylvia, he was the biggest cheerleader for Fran and Mr. Sheffield. Fran's dance card was generally full, but he knew only Maxwell held the key to her heart. Niles knew what it felt like to be without the one, making him all the more grateful for Marta's presence in his life. He patted her hand. "Don't worry. Mr. Sheffield will come around soon."

Fran rolled her big, brown eyes heavenward and made a prayerful gesture with her hands. "From your lips to God's ears."

He got up from the table and headed for the staircase. "I want to grab a shower before I start breakfast. Don't eat too much ice cream."

"Not so fast! You didn't finish telling me about your date."

He stopped on the bottom stair and shrugged. "There's not much to tell. We went to the movies, and then, we went back to her place to well, you know." He threw her a roguish wink.

"You two have been having well, you know, several times a week for over a month now."

"I've been seeing Marta for almost six months. I'd say we are acting perfectly natural." He held up his hand. "No more questions. I'm going to take a shower."

TNTNTNTNTNTN

"C.C.!" Maxwell snapped, "Will you please put out that bloody cigarette?" As her hand hovered over the ashtray to flick off some ash, he took her hand and forced her to snub out the cigarette. "I've told you a hundred times not to smoke in the house. I thought you were trying to quit?"

"Maxwell," she whined, "Can't you be a little more supportive? I am trying to quit. See?" She yanked up her sleeve. "I'm using this stupid patch and chewing nicotine gum, but none of it is working." She rummaged around in her purse, found some nicotine gum, and popped it into her mouth. Then, she lit another cigarette.

Maxwell looked at her incredulously. "Isn't mixing them dangerous?"

The phone rang and C.C. lunged to scoop it up. "Saved by the bell," she mumbled under her breath. "Hello, C.C. Babcock. Who? One moment, please." She put the caller on hold and took a long drag off the cigarette before Maxwell snatched it from her fingers and jammed it into the ashtray, twisting it until nothing was left but a few shreds of paper and loose tobacco. C.C. stared daggers at him while he smugly dusted off his hands. "Niles!" She screeched at the top of her lungs.

Niles hurried into the office. "You bellowed?"

C.C. turned her murderous glare from Maxwell to Niles. "Your girlfriend, Martha, is on hold."

"Her name is Marta," Niles impatiently corrected.

"Listen, Lurch, her name is going to be mud if you don't tell her to stop calling you at this number. This is a business line, not your personal 1-900 number. Say," she said, abruptly switching gears, "when am I going to get to meet her? I would love to get a load of the woman who is desperate enough to date you. She must really be a hag."

"Quite the contrary, C.C.," Maxwell interjected, "Marta is a remarkably beautiful woman." A goofy grin spread across his face as he recounted her virtues. "Ah, that raven hair, radiant smile, lithe body..."

Niles coughed, "Ahem, Mr. Sheffield, remember she's my girlfriend. But he's right Miss Babcock. Unlike you, Marta doesn't have a pasty complexion, fake blonde hair, and a bovine figure."

Niles saw a flicker of hurt in C.C.'s eyes, and a pang of remorse stabbed at his conscience. As a child, his parents had strictly taught him never to make fun of a person's appearance because one cannot help what he looks like. As an adult, criticizing another's looks always made him feel ashamed even if it was directed at Miss Babcock. More importantly, Niles knew what he had said about Miss Babcock was entirely untrue. In reality, he thought C.C. was stunning. She had flawless alabaster skin, a sexy, voluptuous body, and soft, silky hair that had always beckoned him to run his fingers through it. He speculated that C.C. had not been complimented on her beauty enough in her lifetime. Occasionally, during those rare moments when they were getting along or after one of the Wall Street jerks she tended to date had hurt her, Niles wished he could tell C.C. exactly how beautiful he thought she was both inside and out, but he knew she would never trust any praise coming from him.

"Niles!" C.C.'s menacing voice snapped him back to attention. "Are you going to take this call or do you want me to cut it off?"

He suspected the it she was threatening to cut off wasn't the call. He frowned at her and picked up the phone. "Hello, Marta. Sorry to keep you waiting…Yes, tonight sounds good…Yeah, okay… I'll pick you up at seven. Good-bye, my love."

C.C. heard the endearment and a pained expression briefly flashed across her face, but it was immediately replaced by a look of fury. "You didn't tell her to stop calling you at this number, you imbecile! This is the second time this week it has happened. We're running a busy office, and we don't have time to field your personal calls."

"Calm down, C.C. It's not a big deal." C.C. is certainly cranky today, Maxwell mused. Maybe, it would be easier to just let her smoke.

"I'm sorry, sir. Marta has the phone numbers confused. I will speak to her about it tonight. That is, if you won't be needing me tonight."

On his way to the filing cabinet, Maxwell clapped Niles on the shoulder and said jovially, "No, you go on and enjoy yourself. In fact," he reached into his pants pocket for his keys and tossed them to Niles, "take my car. And use my name to get into a show, just as long as it isn't Andrew Lloyd Webber's. Have yourself a real good time."

The two men laughed that infuriating 'old boys club' laugh and in that moment, C.C. hated both of them. Actually, she hated everybody, especially Marta, and especially Niles and Marta. "How romantic - a butler and a maid in love," she sneered. "What do you guys do for fun? Wax the floor? Rearrange the pantry? Exchange recipes?"

"Wouldn't you like to know! You're just jealous because you're not getting any, and I am."

"Horny old goat!"

"Dried up old maid!"

"Overaged Lothario!"

"Bitter old prune!"

Maxwell slammed the filing cabinet shut with a loud bang. "Enough! Niles - out! C.C. - back to work!"

After one last withering glare at C.C., Niles turned on his heel and stalked out of the room. Within seconds, C.C. had lit yet another cigarette.

"C.C.! Put out that damn cigarette!" Maxwell howled.

TNTNTNTNTNTN

After a sumptuous dinner, a hit Broadway play, and enthusiastic lovemaking, Niles and Marta lay curled up in her bed. She had a large room in her employer's mansion, big enough for bedroom furnishings, a private bath, and a sitting area with a comfortable sofa and an entertainment center that housed her television and her extensive CD collection of jazz. The door to her room was only a few feet away from the back entrance to the house so Niles could come and go with almost no chance of running into anyone. Since she had more privacy than he did, they always went to her place.

As she drew lazy circles with her fingernail across his chest, Marta asked, "Niles, have you ever given any thought to getting married?" His sharp intake of breath and uncomfortable expression made her almost sorry she had asked the question, but she didn't back down. "What I mean is, you have been single for a very long time. Most men your age have been married, even if it didn't work out. I guess what I'm getting at is if marriage is something you would be interested in, some day."

He was quiet for several seconds while he considered the question. "I've always wanted a family, but I have never found myself in a relationship with the right woman."

"Do you think I could be the right woman?" she asked with more boldness than she thought she had in her.

Niles smiled at her, wanting to mask the uneasiness the conversation was causing him. He had been a bachelor for a long time, and he hadn't given marriage serious consideration in years. "I suppose it could be a distinct possibility," he answered vaguely. He kissed her, hoping to get her mind on other activities, but she pulled away.

"After my husband, Albert, was killed, I never thought I could or would fall in love with anyone else. I thought that part of my life was over. I can't tell you how many times I have wished I had died in the car accident with him. Then, you came along, and I find I can't wait to wake up in the morning because it means another day with you. I have finally found someone I want to give my heart to again."

"I'm honored," he said softly.

"I hope you don't think I'm being too forward, but one thing Albert's death taught me is that life is too short not to take the bull by the horns."

Niles' mind raced ahead to the logical conclusion of the conversation. "What are you trying to say?"

"I'm asking you to marry me, Niles."

"What?" he asked, thoroughly shocked by the question even though he had seen it coming.

"I know that traditionally, it's the man who proposes, but it took you, what? ten dates to even put your arm around me at the movies. I'm no spring chicken. I may turn old and gray waiting for you to propose to me." She laughed playfully and then turned serious again. "I know this is sudden, but I do love you. I know we can be happy."

He kissed her forehead and wrapped her in his arms. "May I think it over?"

TNTNTNTNTNTN

After leaving Marta's earlier than usual, Niles lay in his own bed futilely trying to fall asleep as a kaleidoscope of thoughts swirled continuously around his mind. He couldn't understand why he wasn't thrilled about his situation. A wonderful woman wants to marry me. She's everything I thought I ever wanted. Why aren't I the happiest man on Earth? What's my problem? Don't I love her? Is it cold feet?

Only minutes after he had fallen into a fitful sleep, the phone rang, jolting Niles awake and making him none too happy. A brief glance at the clock on his nightstand told him his alarm would be sounding in less than ten minutes, anyway. He jammed his pillow over his head and let out a long moan before barking a terse greeting into the telephone. The warm voice that filled the line belonged to his father, Malcolm.

"Hello, Niles!" Malcolm boomed. Niles held the phone a few inches away from his ear. It seemed his father believed he had to yell in order to be heard across the Atlantic. "I hope I didn't wake you, son, but you're a hard man to reach. Lately, whenever I ring, you're out with your lady friend...um...what's her name?"

"Marta," Niles supplied flatly. Why was it his father and Miss Babcock couldn't manage to remember his girlfriend's name?

"Oh yes, Marta. I spoke to Maxwell yesterday when I couldn't get you, and he told me how serious you two have become. He says she is a very lovely and personable woman. I am very happy for you, son."

"Thank you, father. Father?"

"Yes?"

"I've been wanting to speak with you. I need your advice."

"What sort of advice?"

"Well, uh...I've been wondering…that is, I'd like to know…um, how does one know when he has found the right person to spend the rest of his life with? How can one be certain?"

"Is this about Marta? Are you thinking of popping the question?"

Niles rubbed his red, gritty eyes. "Yeah, it's about Marta. And the possibility of marriage is on the table."

Malcolm's voice grew thoughtful. He knew his son didn't take the concept of marriage lightly. The fact that he had even mentioned it at all meant he was extremely serious. "Are you in love with her, Niles?"

The silence on the other end of the line lasted so long Malcolm wondered if Niles had heard the question. Finally, Niles answered, "I know I love Marta, but I am beginning to wonder if I am in love with her."

"What do you mean?"

"I'm, I'm well, the thing is, I'm not sure I've ever really been in love before. I've certainly been smitten, and I've cared deeply about a few women before, but there's a big difference between caring for someone and being in love with them. Father, I feel so silly asking this question, but aren't there supposed to be...oh, this is so asinine..." his sentence trailed off into a frustrated groan.

"Spit it out, son. Aren't there supposed to be what?"

"Fireworks. Aren't there supposed to be fireworks between a man and the woman he is destined to be with?"

Malcolm chortled, "Niles, have you been reading romance novels?"

"Dad, I'm serious! When you kissed Mother for the first time, didn't it seem like the fourth of July?"

Malcolm laughed again. "Have you forgotten Independence Day is celebrated by Americans?"

Exasperated, Niles responded more curtly than he would have liked to his father, "You know what I mean. I'm not saying that I'm not attracted to Marta, but when we kiss there are no fireworks."

Stifling his amusement, Malcolm replied, "Okay, son. I suppose when your mother and I were young, we set off a few, as you say, fireworks, but we were teenagers when we met. Back then, everything was new and exciting. You're a grown man. You have to get these foolish, romantic notions out of your head. If you seriously believe a kiss can turn your life upside down, then you are living in a dream."

Niles drifted back to a day a couple of years ago when a fight with Miss Babcock had gotten out of hand and anger had led to passion. For Niles, the unforgettable kiss he shared with C.C. not only set off fireworks, it caused a nuclear holocaust to explode through his being.

"Niles? Niles? Are you still there?"

"Sorry. I'm here."

"Listen to me, Niles. Please take what I am about to say to you with all the love that is intended. Do not screw this up, son. You have waited a long time for a worthy woman to come along. Don't let some sophomoric idea about romance cause you to let this woman slip through your fingers. No matter what the poets say, love isn't idyllic. It's hard work, but it's worth it. You have been alone for so long. This could be your final opportunity for a wife and a family of your own. Don't be afraid to take it. You're not getting any younger. Your mother and I aren't, either, and we would like to see you settled soon."

Niles tried to hide his disappointment with his father's counsel. He wasn't sure what answer he was looking for, but the ache in his heart told him he hadn't heard what he wanted to hear. "Thanks for the advice." He added with a resigned sigh, "I suppose you are right."

"Well then, if you are feeling better about Marta, we should say our good-byes. This call is costing me a fortune."

Despite his gloomy mood, Niles laughed at his frugal parent whom he loved so dearly. "Good-bye, Father. I love you, and give my love to Mother."

"Good-bye, my boy. We love you, too. Let me know if I should get my old tux out of mothballs."

TNTNTNTNTNTN

Later that morning, Fran entered the kitchen and found Niles lost in thought, sitting at the table idly tracing figure eights in the tiny pool of water his glass of orange juice had left on the tabletop.

She sat down beside him and put a hand on his arm. "Niles, what's wrong? Wanna talk about it?"

"What makes you think something is wrong?" he asked glumly.

"For one thing, you're not using a coaster." She grinned at him and squeezed his arm. "Come on, I know when something's not right with my best friend so spill it."

"I thought Val was your best friend."

"A girl can have more than one best friend. Stop stalling and tell me what's wrong."

"I'm afraid to tell you. You'll think I'm a lunatic. You won't understand."

"Niles!" Fran droned in her nasal voice, "Just tell me. Maybe, I can help."

"Okay. Here it goes. How can you know when you have found your destiny, the be all and the end all?"

"You're worried Marta's not the one?"

"How did, how did you know?"

"Just tell me the rest of it."

He shrugged, "My father thinks I'm being a foolish romantic. He says my expectations are too high."

"What do you think?"

"I care for Marta, but it seems like something is missing."

"Do you mean fireworks?"

Niles' jaw dropped. "Miss Fine! You were listening on the extension again!"

"What are you talking about?" she asked in confusion.

"Oh, never mind. It doesn't matter…About the fireworks…yes, once I kissed someone and fireworks are only the tip of the iceberg. Volcanic eruption is an understatement."

"Volcanic eruption?! Ooo, Niles! I never knew you were so virile!" She laughed naughtily.

"Miss Fine! Get your mind out of the gutter!"

"So who was she? When did this happen? Why didn't it work out?"

He waved his hand dismissively. "It isn't important. The point is I do not feel that way with Marta. Not that she isn't a terrific woman and not that she isn't..." he faltered.

"Not that she isn't good in the sack?" Fran prompted.

Niles blushed. "For lack of a better phrase, yes."

"I didn't want to mention this because, generally, I make it a rule not to stick my nose in other people's business."

Niles lifted his eyebrows. "Oh, really?"

"Okay! Okay! So sometimes, I meddle, but I mean well."

"What were you about to say?"

"Well, you know I think Marta is great, but frankly, when we have all spent time together, I've noticed that possibly the chemistry isn't quite there." Fran feared she was offending him, but she continued, "Don't get me wrong, I can see you care for each other, and maybe you could be happy together. It's just that I don't see any sizzle between you. The snap, crackle, and pop is very important to me, but maybe it isn't to you." When he didn't reply she asked in a small voice, "Are you mad at me, Niles?"

"No, why should I be?

"For speaking my mind?"

"My father says I am being silly and unrealistic."

"Oh no, Niles! Passion exists for two people who really love each other. Don't settle for anything less than a love that rocks your world." He jumped up from the table and charged toward the door. "Where are you going?" she asked, bewildered by his sudden action.

"I need to find out something. Tell Mr. Sheffield I'll be back later." Before he could get out the door, the phone rang. Ever the dutiful servant, Niles stopped and answered it. "Hi, Marta…Um, yeah, I can come over. Is anything wrong? You sound funny…I'll see you in a few minutes." He hung up the phone and frowned at Fran. "I'll be at Marta's."

TNTNTNTNTNTN

Niles peered through the kitchen window of Marta's employer's posh home and watched her slice carrots. He admired her ease and expertise with the sharp knife. He also appreciated how beautiful she looked even when dressed in her uniform which was the drabbest shade of gray imaginable. Once again, he wondered why he couldn't make things work with her.

He tapped on the glass and her face lit up as soon as she saw him. She threw open the door and stepped into his arms. "Niles, I'm so glad you could get away."

He awkwardly returned her embrace. "So what's the big rush to see me this morning? We're going out tonight."

Marta drew him into a kiss. "Mr. Smythe is out for the rest of the day. The chauffer is with him, and it's the butler's day off. I thought maybe we could, well, take advantage of the empty house." She nipped playfully at his ear.

"Marta," he replied sharply, "you called me over here in the middle of the morning for that? You know how busy I am."

"Sorry," she grumbled. "You never seemed to mind it before."

He softened. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to snap at you. It's just that I left a sink full of breakfast dishes, and Mr. Sheffield has some investors coming to tea this afternoon."

She led him through the kitchen door and into the spacious living room. They sat down on the richly upholstered sofa. "Actually, I didn't really call you over for a romp. I know we're supposed to see each other tonight, but I've been on pins and needles. Niles, I've got to know. Have you given any more thought to us getting married?"

He ran his hand through his thick hair. "Marriage is such a big step. I'm not sure if…"

Sensing he was about to turn her down, Marta planted a hand on his chest to stop him. "There's something you should know," she interrupted with a gush of words. "It may help you make up your mind. I wasn't planning on telling you until I was absolutely sure and you had made a decision concerning our future, but I am so overwhelmed. I have to tell you." She stood up and began to pace. "Albert always said I was rotten at keeping secrets. Understand I don't want you to feel obligated to me in any way."

When she passed close by him, he reached out and grabbed her arm and pulled her back down beside him on the sofa. "Marta, calm down. You're rambling. What's going on? What secret?"

She stared at him for a long moment before blurting out, "I'm pregnant."

The color drained from his face. "What did you say?" he asked, hoping he hadn't heard her correctly.

"I'm pregnant. At least, I'm pretty sure I am. I have, um, been having symptoms, if you catch my drift, and I took a home pregnancy test. It was positive."

He stared at her dumbstruck and then he stood up and began to pace.

"Say something, Niles," she pleaded.

"I don't understand…We took precautions…How did this happen? I mean, I know how it happened, but..." He trailed off too stunned to think straight.

She looked up at him, her large, dark eyes brimming with tears. "Are you angry?"

The expression on her face told him she would be devastated if he rejected the idea of a baby. Hell, it's no idea. It's a reality. "I don't know what to say," he responded diplomatically. "This comes as such a complete shock to me. Not necessarily an unpleasant shock, but a shock all the same."

"I want to keep the baby. I have to keep the baby."

He was at her side in an instant. "Of course! I would never ask you not to keep it. I hope you know me better than that."

She wrapped her arms around him and hid her face in his jacket. "I'm sorry, Niles. I've put you in a bad position."

"I'm as responsible as you are," he said into her hair as his mind reeled with all the responsibilities a baby implied.

She raised her chin and looked deeply into his eyes. "The baby is a big part of the reason why I broached the subject of marriage, but it isn't the only reason. I love you, and baby or no baby, I want you to be my husband. I intended to hold off telling you about my pregnancy until after you gave me an answer to my proposal because I don't want you to feel trapped, but I couldn't wait. I hope you understand."

"Yes, I'm glad you told me."

"You are a wonderful man. I think we can build a life together. So what do you say? Will you marry me?"

Niles thought it over for a few moments. Marta is an attractive, kind woman, and he genuinely cared for her. He knew she had the makings of a perfect wife. But will she make a perfect wife for me? he asked himself. Also, the crazy business about the fireworks still bothered him. Then, his thoughts turned to the baby, the child of his own that he had always wanted. He brushed all his misgivings aside. "When do you want to go pick out a ring?"

"Oh, Niles!" She squealed with delight as she threw her arms around him. "You've made me so happy!"

TNTNTNTNTNTN

Marta wanted him to stay the rest of the day, but Niles put her off, citing a full schedule of pressing work. In reality, he wanted to get home and discuss his impending marriage with Mr. Sheffield as soon as possible. He needed to start making plans for the future.

Niles knocked softly on the office door, knowing he had a great deal to discuss with Mr. Sheffield, but half hoping he wasn't in. "Mr. Sheffield, may I have a word with you?" he asked as he gingerly stuck his head inside the door.

Maxwell was immediately intrigued with Niles' behavior. It wasn't like him to stand on ceremony, just about the only time Niles didn't barge into the office like he owned it was when he knew Maxwell was in the midst of an important business meeting. He screwed the cap on his fountain pen then motioned for Niles to sit. "What's on your mind? You're not ill are you? You look done in."

"Well, sir, to make a long story short, Marta and I are going to be married."

The succinct statement stunned Maxwell. "Congratulations!" he sputtered.

"Thank you, sir." Niles said gravely, not at all like an eager groom-to-be.

Maxwell stood up and circled around his desk to shake Niles' hand. "You old dog!" He clapped Niles on the back. "Why didn't you tell me you were going to propose?"

Niles colored a bit. "Actually, Marta proposed to me."

"Oh," Maxwell looked slightly confused. "How very modern. ... Er, when's the big day?"

"We haven't set a date yet. I'm sure it will be a very modest affair."

"Have you told Miss Fine yet? I'm sure she would be thrilled to help with the wedding. It will give her a chance to put her former employment in a bridal shop to good use. How would you like to have the wedding here? How about in the garden? Or think how lovely Marta would look gliding down the staircase in a beautiful white gown." As Maxwell rattled on about the possibilities, it was not lost on him that he seemed to be more excited about the wedding than Niles. "Niles, is something wrong?" he finally asked.

No sense beating around the bush. "There's something else you need to know, sir. Marta is pregnant."

This revelation absolutely floored Maxwell. There was an awkward silence as Maxwell tried to process the words he had just heard. He simply couldn't believe that Niles, of all people, would get into such a situation. When Maxwell finally spoke, it was with much less animation than before. "Congratulations again, Niles. I'm very happy for you." He thumped Niles on the back once more, but this time, the gesture seemed more out of sympathy than joy.

Maxwell returned to his large leather chair behind his desk and waited for Niles to go on. After what seemed like an eternity, Niles said quietly, "Sir, I need to know how this is going to affect my position in the household."

"Niles, you know you're part of the family. Nothing has to change."

"But, sir, I can't in good conscience expect my bride and new baby to share my room with me."

"No, I suppose not." Maxwell stroked his chin. "I'll give it some thought. I'm sure we can work out something." Just then, C.C. walked into the office. "C.C., you're just in time to congratulate Niles. He and Marta are engaged and are expecting a baby to boot. Isn't it exciting?"

C.C. looked as if she had been slapped in the face, but the men didn't notice. Niles was too busy glowering at Maxwell. For his part, Maxwell knew he had put his foot in his mouth. Obviously, Niles was angry at him for letting the cat out of the bag. Though she was bound to find out about his engagement sooner or later, something inside Niles irrationally wished C.C. didn't have to know.

"Mr. Sheffield," Niles barked. "I'll thank you not to discuss my personal life with other people, especially Miss Babcock."

Niles' scolding bruised Maxwell's feelings. "I apologize, Niles. It will never happen again," he said sullenly.

Niles instantly regretted losing his temper. None of this was Mr. Sheffield's fault. "I'm sorry I snapped at you, sir. It's just that now I'll have to listen to one thousand and one insults from Miss Babcock about the butler and the maid having a bun in the oven."

However, C.C. did not insult him. "Congratulations, Niles. I hope you will be very happy," she said softly. "Maxwell, there's something I need to take care of down at the theater," she added tersely as she hurried out of the room.

Niles had the wild idea that he saw tears in her eyes. No, the dragon lady never cries, he reasoned.

"Wait, C.C.!" Maxwell shouted after her just as the phone rang. "We have a conference call with our playwright and our director! You have to be here! What about tea this afternoon?" It was too late to stop her. She was already gone. He jammed the phone to his ear still muttering curses at C.C. "Maxwell Sheffield speaking. Yes, operator, I'll hold. Niles, I have to take this call. I'll get with you later about our new domestic situation."

Niles left the office and headed toward the kitchen to prepare for the tea and get a start on dinner. Making Mr. Sheffield's favorite meal was the least he could do to help repay him for graciously offering his home for the wedding as well as for the little scene that followed afterward. However, plans for Yankee pot roast and apple pie flew out of Niles' mind when he was startled by the sound of Brighton's anguished voice coming from the front of the house.

"Please, Miss Babcock, don't cry!" Brighton pleaded. "I'm so sorry! Oh, man, dad is soo going to kill me!"

Niles rushed in and found C.C. sitting on the floor near the front entrance, holding her ankle and rocking back and forth in pain. "What's going on? C.C., I mean, Miss Babcock, what is it?"

Brighton awkwardly patted C.C. on the shoulder. His sisters were always crying about one dumb girl thing or another, but an adult in tears, especially Miss Babcock, was a completely different story. "Niles, I'm so glad you're here. Miss Babcock tripped over my baseball cleats. I swear, I only left them by the door for a minute while I went to get my glove."

"Miss Babcock, are you hurt badly?"

"I, I twisted my ankle," she whimpered, trying to get control over herself.

"I am so sorry, Miss Babcock." Brighton miserably intoned again, at a loss for anything else to say.

Niles thrust the cleats and the glove into Brighton's arms and pushed him toward the door. "Master Brighton, go on to your game. I'll take care of her."

"Thanks, Niles!" Brighton rushed out quickly, all too happy to extricate himself from the messy situation.

Niles knelt down beside C.C. "Here, let me take a look at it." He removed her preppy penny loafer, reached up her calf, and pulled off her argyle sock. Niles felt a current of electricity jolt him as his hand made contact with the smooth bare flesh of her leg. He examined her injured ankle. It was indeed starting to swell. "Does this hurt?" he asked as he gently manipulated her foot. C.C. gasped in pain and bit her lower lip to suppress a sob. The childlike gesture made Niles want to kiss her to make it better, but he chased the fanciful thought out of his mind.

"It hurts, Niles."

"I know it hurts." There was an undertone of hidden meaning in their words. "Can you stand?"

"I think so."

Niles helped her to her feet. They stood close together with her arm around his shoulder and his arm around her waist. He had intended to help her walk to the sofa, but instead, he impulsively swung her up into his arms. Her intoxicating perfume momentarily mesmerized him. In Niles' opinion, C.C. knew how to wear perfume. Most women wore it so they could be smelled from across the room. C.C. wore perfume sparingly so its scent could only be detected by someone intimately near her. Niles had to restrain himself from nuzzling her neck. He wondered what other hidden peaks and valleys also held the heady fragrance.

C.C. didn't question his hesitation. She let him stand there with her in his arms without a word of protest. In truth, C.C. liked being in his arms. Oddly, she felt safe and comfortable, but at the same time, being held tightly by him stirred a longing that she wanted to ignore. The all too short interlude ended when Niles crossed the room and put her down on the sofa.

"I'll go get the first aid kit and some ice."

"Thanks, Niles." After he left the room, C.C. hid her face in her hands and wept. Although she loathed admitting it, she knew she was not crying over her damned throbbing ankle. The news of Niles and Marta had knocked the wind out of her. Why the hell do I care so much about what that idiotic playboy does with his love life? she asked herself. You know why, answered a voice inside her head.

Meanwhile, Niles went to the kitchen sink and splashed some water on his face. While he had C.C. in his arms, all he could think about was how much he wanted to carry her upstairs to his bedroom and make wanton love to the woman. You truly are a horny old goat. Pull yourself together, man!

After giving his ardor a few minutes to cool off, Niles gathered the supplies and returned to Miss Babcock. By this time, she had composed herself, but he couldn't resist brushing his thumb across her cheek to wipe away one errant tear she had failed to notice. Then, he tenderly ministered to her ankle. "I don't think it's broken, Miss Babcock, only sprained."

"I'm sure it will be fine. Thank you for your help," she replied coolly. "Would you please call me a cab? I can't walk home like this."

"I can drive you myself," he eagerly offered. "Mr. Sheffield won't mind."

"No, I'm sure you have better things to do. There must be a dirty toilet around here calling your name. Just call me a cab, please."

The spell that had them entranced only minutes before was broken.

TNTNTNTNTNTN

"I'm very happy for you. I'm glad my friend finally has someone to spend his life with," Maxwell warmly told Niles as he handed him a Cuban cigar from his private stock. "Don't tell C.C.," he whispered with a conspiratorial wink. Maxwell lit his cigar then held the lighter out to Niles.

"Thank you, sir. Have you given any thought as to how we are going to arrange this? I mean, regarding my new living situation?"

"Yes, I have; that's why I called you in here. I know that in many cases when a husband and wife are both in service, they work for the same employer. However, I don't think I can see my way clear to hire another staff member. You do your job so efficiently, and Miss Fine is here to take care of the children. Also, the children are growing up and can take more responsibility for themselves. They're spoiled enough as it is. A maid simply isn't necessary."

Niles' face fell. "I understand, sir." His cigar immediately lost its savor so he placed it in the ashtray next to a lipstick stained cigarette butt. The memory of sweeping C.C. into his arms earlier in the afternoon stole his attention for a second, but Maxwell's voice pulled him back into the present.

"Let me finish. What I thought we could do is remodel the attic for you and Marta. It's big enough for a small apartment. You and your new family will have privacy, and you will still be able to work here as usual. If Marta wants to continue to work, she can find a day position, and you and Miss Fine can take care of little Niles, Jr. while she is at work. Perhaps, I can help Marta find a new job. That is, if all of this is agreeable to you and her." Pleased with himself, Maxwell took a long, satisfying puff on his cigar.

"Oh, Mr. Sheffield! I don't know what to say! Thank you! It's a splendid idea, but won't it be terribly expensive?"

"It will be my wedding gift to you."

Niles left Maxwell's office elated because he would not only continue to have a home with the Sheffields after his marriage, but would also have a place to raise his child. I won't have to leave the family, Miss Fine, or C.C., he mused. "C.C," sighed aloud, "I won't have to leave C.C."

TNTNTNTNTNTN

"I think it sounds marvelous! Mr. Sheffield is so generous," Marta gushed after Niles explained the plan to renovate the attic over veal parmesan left over from Mr. Smythe's dinner. "Now that we have our living arrangements settled, we need to decide on a wedding date."

"I'm not sure how long it will take to get the attic remodeled…," he hedged.

"You want to wait until then?" she asked, disappointment written all over her face.

Niles picked up his glass of red wine and swirled it around before taking a sip. "Well, yes. I would feel sort of awkward starting our new life together living in my small bedroom. I would rather bring you to a proper home. There are also the children to consider. Even if we are married, it would be weird for them for me to have a woman in my room. I don't want to make them uncomfortable."

"What about the baby? Shouldn't we get married right away? We can ask Mr. Smythe if we can live here until he either fills my position or our apartment is finished."

"I don't know... We don't have to decide tonight, do we?" Once again, Marta looked disappointed, and Niles wished he could say something right. "You're not angry are you? It shouldn't be too long until the attic is redone or is at least livable."

She reached across the little bistro table that served as her dining table and took his hand. "I don't know how to explain it, Niles, but I feel like if we don't hurry and get married, I will lose you."

"Nonsense."

"I'm serious. Sometimes, you seem distant - like you are holding back a part of yourself that I can't have. Maybe, we are rushing into this marriage too fast."

Niles stood up and began stacking the dishes. "You're imagining things." He wanted to convince himself they were doing the right thing as much as he wanted to convince her. However, he couldn't shake the feeling that each step closer to marriage was tightening a noose around his neck. "A minute ago, you didn't want to wait for our home to be finished before we got married, and now you think we are moving too fast?"

"I want to marry you more than anything in the world, but..."

"Shh." He leaned over her and kissed her into silence. "Mr. Sheffield and I are going to speak to a contractor about the renovation as soon as possible. How about we wait until we get his opinion about the length of the project before we make any decisions?" He pulled her to her feet. "Come on; let's watch the movie we rented. I heard it's hilarious."

They snuggled up on the sofa with heaping bowls of ice cream, strawberry for Marta and chocolate for Niles, and watched the comedy. The movie was very funny, and Marta kept up a steady stream of laughter, but Niles paid little attention. His mind was on many things at once. What will it feel like to be a husband and father? Is what Marta said about me holding back from her true? I wonder how Miss Babcock's ankle is. I like Miss Babcock's perfume better than Marta's…

"Niles! Earth to Niles!" Marta gently shook him out of his reverie. The movie was over and the credits were rolling across the screen, and he had no idea what the film was about.

"Didn't you like it? I think it was very funny and romantic." She emphasized the last word and ran her hand suggestively up his thigh, but he didn't notice.

He got up from the sofa and ejected the video from the VCR. "I'll drop this off at Blockbuster on my way home."

"Aren't you staying a while?"

"Oh yes, of course. I don't know what I was thinking," he said distractedly.

"Maybe, you should go on home. You seem to have a lot on your mind tonight."

"I'm sorry, Marta. You must remember that I am an old bachelor. Being engaged with a baby on the way is a new experience for me. I've suddenly realized that I am going to be a man with responsibilities." He smiled at her, trying to look like the epitome of happiness, but he knew he was failing and disappointing her as he had been doing all evening.

She smiled half-heartedly. "I understand. Go home and get some rest." She rose up on her tiptoes and kissed him good-bye. "I love you, Niles."

No fireworks he noticed. "Me, too."

As soon as Niles got home, he climbed into bed. He was exhausted, but he couldn't sleep. The worries that had plagued him earlier still haunted him. It began to sink in that the wedding was indeed going to become a reality. After all these years of yearning for a family, he was finally going to get what he wanted. But do I want it? Do I really want Marta? What about Miss Babcock? Miss Babcock...I have to see Miss Babcock.

TNTNTNTNTNTN

It had been a very long evening for C.C. Her numerous attempts to keep her mind off Niles had been unsuccessful. After working last Sunday's New York Times crossword puzzle, repeatedly flipping through channels and finding nothing to watch on TV, and eating the better part of a box of assorted Godiva chocolates, she was lying on the sofa icing her sore ankle and absentmindedly thumbing through a magazine when the doorbell rang. She glanced at the clock on the wall. It was well after midnight. Who could it be at this hour? She gingerly eased herself off the sofa, minding her injured ankle. As she limped to the door, the bell rang again, and then the anxious visitor began to pound on the door.

"All right, already!" she yelled. "I'm coming as fast as I can. Keep your shirt on!" She looked through the peephole and was surprised to see Niles. She opened the door, noting how strange he looked, flushed with a peculiar, tense expression on his face. "Niles, why the hell are you beating down my door at this hour?"

The sight of C.C. took his breath away. Her white silk pajamas, lack of make-up, tousled hair, and bare feet made her look positively angelic. The temper simmering in her blue eyes reminded him that she was no angel.

"May I come in?" he asked nervously.

She allowed him entrance and closed the door. She could see he was obviously upset about something. "Niles, what are you doing here?"

His eyes darted around the room until they finally locked on her. "Because...I...I...For this." He stepped up to C.C., and in one quick movement, he crushed her to him. Her arms were caught against his chest, and he held her face between his hands. For a split second, he looked into her eyes, and then he kissed her hard. Bewildered, she couldn't imagine what had come over him, but the blazing kiss promptly rendered her unable to think about anything but his mouth on hers. Her limbs melted and with her arms pinned against him, all she could do was clutch at his sweater and fall into him. Instinctively, she began to participate in the kiss. Soon, their lips began to dance together in rhythm.

For a few enchanted minutes, time stood still for them. They were aware of nothing but the feel and taste of each other. C.C. wanted to stand rooted in that spot letting Niles kiss her like this forever. Niles now knew for certain that Miss Fine was right and his father was wrong - a kiss really could rock the world. Fireworks!

There was no question as to where this was leading, and Niles realized he had to break away from her or he would be doing much more than kissing her in mere seconds. Already, he had one hand tangled in her hair, and the other was sensuously roaming the curves of her body. He wanted nothing more than to make love to her. Right here, right now. And he knew by the way C.C. was responding to him that she felt the same way.

Suddenly, he pushed her away and stepped back. The abrupt loss of contact left C.C. feeling bereft and confused. He was so close to fulfilling my every dream. Why did he stop?

They stared at each other with kiss-swollen lips and panted for breath. Finally, Niles whispered hoarsely, "Forgive me, C.C. I shouldn't have done that. I shouldn't be here."

Immediately, C.C. came crashing back down to Earth, hurt and outraged. Not only was Niles engaged to someone else, he was expecting a baby. He had no right to be in her apartment kissing her, arousing feelings in her best laid buried. She lunged forward and slapped him as hard as she could. The ringing blow echoed through the silent room. "Servants do not kiss Babcocks. Get the hell out of here." C.C. covered the real reason she was angry by turning it into a class issue. She would be damned before she would let him find out that she was devastated because he was in love with another woman.

Niles continued to stand there in front of her. His eyes pleaded with her to understand something he couldn't explain.

"I said leave," she ordered, her blue eyes icy with hatred.

"Please believe me, C.C., this isn't what I meant to happen. I'm sorry." With nothing else to say, he turned and left her apartment.

Feeling as if he were on an emotional rollercoaster without any of the fun and thrills, Niles trudged back home. He recounted the day's events in awe of the fact that his usually humdrum life was now anything but ordinary. He had learned he was going to be a father, gotten engaged, and kissed Miss Babcock - all in less than twenty-four hours. Niles' heart kept replaying the kiss as if it were the most important thing that had transpired, but his brain kept reminding him that fatherhood must take precedence.

Niles entered the house hoping no one was still awake. He breathed a sigh of relief when he found the living room empty. He was on his way to the liquor cabinet for a much need shot of courage when he heard the accordion-like voice he both despised and adored coming from the staircase.

"Hiya, Niles!" Fran called, maddeningly chipper for the wee hours of the morning.

"Miss Fine, why aren't you asleep?"

"Because I'm waiting up for you. You were acting so weird this morning, and I haven't had the chance to talk to you since then. What gives?"

"I really don't want to discuss it. I just want to go to my room and be alone."

He tried to push past her to the staircase, but Fran grabbed his arm and dragged him to the sofa. "Come on, Niles," she coaxed. "Tell me. You know you'll wind up telling me sooner or later. Let's make it sooner. Pretty please."

"You mean Mr. Sheffield hasn't told you yet?"

"Told me what?"

"Marta's pregnant. We're getting married," he announced bleakly without preamble.

Fran gaped at him in wide-eyed amazement. "You're joking, right?"

"I'm deadly serious."

"Judging from our conversation this morning, I thought you were going to break up with her."

Niles rubbed his temples. One hell of a headache was starting to brew behind his eyes. "I don't know how I got myself into such a mess. I tried to be so careful, so adult. Before Marta and I embarked on a sexual relationship, we discussed our histories and birth control options. She wasn't on birth control because she hadn't been with anyone since her husband's death. We decided that I would use..." He stopped talking and looked at Fran with utter embarrassment, scarlet from his neck to the tips of his ears.

She gave him a playful shove. "Don't be so embarrassed, Niles. I'm not a kid. So you were supposed to use a condom? Did you use one every single time?"

"Yes," he groaned as he brushed his hands through his hair in frustration. "I was so careful."

"This just goes to show that condoms aren't foolproof," she admonished in her best prim school teacher's voice. "How would you feel about giving Brighton and Maggie a safe sex lecture?" He turned an even deeper shade of red and Fran burst out laughing.

"Miss Fine! Please! ...You know, this is so ironic. When I first started out in service, my mother's worst nightmare was that I would knock up one of the maids. Well, I finally managed to do it, but instead of being eighteen years old, I'm for...I'm a grown man."

"You said you and Marta are getting married?" she asked, hoping she had misunderstood him.

"Yes."

"This is the modern age, Niles. Just because you put the cart before the horse doesn't mean you have to get married."

He shook his head. "I'm from the old school. I believe a man should take responsibility for his actions."

"But what about what we talked about this morning? What about the fireworks?"

Niles winced as the memory of kissing C.C. burned through him. "Fireworks. Definitely fireworks," he murmured under his breath. "Perhaps the fireworks will come in time. These past few months with Marta have been extremely pleasant. There is no reason why we can't be happy together."

"Except for the fact that you're not in love with her," Fran stated with conviction, unwilling to let him off the hook so easily.

"Miss Fine, if you care about me at all as a friend, you will forget what we talked about this morning. I have every intention of spending the rest of my life being the best husband to Marta I can possibly be. I have made my bed, and now I have to lie in it. After all, this could be my last shot at a family of my own. I have always wanted a wife and children."

"But you admitted to me that Marta isn't the one."

"She is close enough. Maybe, my father is right, and I need to get over my silly, schoolboy notions of love and romance."

"They are not silly notions," she argued. "Your dad is wrong."

"How do you know? You have been waiting for Mr. Right to come along for years. Where has it gotten you?" He took her left hand and held it up. "I don't see a wedding ring. What if you spend the rest of your life waiting for Prince Charming, a.k.a. Mr. Sheffield, to sweep you off your feet and he never does?"

"It doesn't mean I should settle for Mr. Close Enough. I want the real deal or nothing at all," she countered with an uncompromising determination that Niles envied.

"Maybe, Marta is the right woman, and we only need more time to grow into our love."

"Maybe? Are you sure you want to stake your happiness on a maybe, Niles?"

He refused to meet her eyes and sighed, "In any case, I won't raise my child on the weekends."

"Maybe, it wouldn't be as bad as you think."

"Now who's relying on maybes? I won't have my kid shuttled back and forth between his mother and me. Besides, Mr. Smythe, the old fossil Marta works for, would never allow her to raise the baby in his home. If I don't marry her…Look at the position it would put her in…No job, no husband…What if she decided to move? Her parents live in El Paso, Texas."

"But, Niles –"

He held up his hand to silence her. "I want this child. I have to do everything in my power to do right by his mother and by him," Niles smiled, "or her."

Fran sighed, draped her arm around his shoulder, and planted a kiss on his cheek. "I love you, Niles. I want you to be happy. I'll be here for you no matter what."

"Thank you. Your support means a great deal to me."

Niles spent the remainder of the night brooding in his room. Alone in the dark, his brain finally admitted to what his heart had known all along: he was in love with C.C. Babcock even though he knew the odds of ever being with her were astronomical. On the other hand, he had Marta who loved him and whom he loved, albeit a different kind of love than what he felt for C.C. On paper, Marta was the perfect one for him. They shared common interests, they had similar stations in life, and they both wanted marriage and a family. C.C. was haughty and too cynical for her own good, but it was C.C. who challenged and exhilarated him. However, he was certain C.C. would never consider him worthy enough to marry her. Niles resigned himself to the fact that he would have to live without C.C. The decision that had to be made was whether or not to try to live contentedly with Marta or to spend the rest of his life alone. In the end, the baby was the deciding factor. He wanted to be a full time parent to his child. He decided to do everything in his power to make the marriage with Marta work.

TNTNTNTNTNTN

The next day found Niles halfheartedly going about his duties as C.C. and Marta battled in his thoughts like two warring countries. He had not seen Miss Babcock all morning, which was very unusual. It was unlike Miss Babcock to skip her morning sashay through the kitchen for her caffeine fix and exchange of snide comments with Miss Fine and him. He was anxious to gauge how angry she was about the previous night's kiss. He wanted to somehow smooth things over with her, although a reasonable explanation for his behavior had thus far eluded him.

Niles assumed C.C. was in the office with Mr. Sheffield and was therefore drawn there like a moth to a flame. Finally, he entered the office on the pretense of watering the plants, a task he had already taken care of yesterday, and was disappointed to find that Miss Babcock was not there after all. He finished with the plants and dragged his feet while Maxwell took a lengthy business call. It seemed as if he would never get off the bloody telephone, but after an eternity, Maxwell finished his conversation and hung up, complaining under his breath about overindulged, temperamental actors.

Several minutes passed until mildly annoyed for being interrupted during a particularly hectic morning, Maxwell glanced at Niles over the script he was reading and asked, "Is there something you want?"

"No, why?" he answered casually.

"If you prune any more leaves off that plant, it's going to be bald."

"It has a lot of shriveled up leaves. Speaking of shriveled up, where's Miss Babcock today?"

Maxwell turned a page and continued to read for a few exasperatingly long moments before responding. "She called in sick, something about a sprained ankle. Why?"

"Oh, it's not important. I need to ask her something about the potential investor who is coming to dinner tomorrow night. Miss Babcock requested I get a box of cigars for him, but I have forgotten the special brand she told me to buy. You know Miss Babcock, if I screw up, she'll have my head."

"Well, if you need to know, you had better call her at home and ask her."

"That won't be necessary. It can wait until tomorrow. She will be here tomorrow, won't she? I mean, what with the investor coming…" Niles trailed off, trying not to appear too anxious in front of Mr. Sheffield. The last thing he needed was for Mr. Sheffield to question his interest in Miss Babcock.

Maxwell shook his head. "Actually, she's leaving for Europe tomorrow afternoon."

Niles' heart leapt to his throat. "She is?" he managed to croak. "How long will she be gone?"

"At least a month, probably more."

Stunned, Niles almost dropped his watering can. Water sloshed onto the rug. "What?" he gasped, completely forgetting to play it cool.

Maxwell put down the script and studied Niles. "What is the matter with you?"

Remembering to control himself, Niles shrugged and slipped on a poker face. "Nothing, sir. It's just that if Miss Babcock gets so much vacation time, how about Miss Fine and me?"

"C.C. isn't going on a vacation. She will be working. She's going to do some scouting for us, and she will be cultivating new business contacts."

"Isn't this trip sudden?"

Maxwell picked up the script again, hoping Niles would get the hint that he was busy and leave. "Yes and no. C.C. and I have been discussing the possibility of beefing up our European connections for quite some time, but it was her idea to leave on such short notice."

"Wouldn't it make more sense for you to go? After all, you are the European half of the company."

Taking Niles' question as a criticism of both him and C.C., Maxwell forcefully exhaled an irritated sigh as he snatched off his reading glasses. Who was the employer and who were the employees around here, anyway? "I couldn't very well go off and leave the children for weeks at a time. I'll make a follow up trip this summer when the kids are out of school and can come along. Niles, C.C. is a bright, classy lady who is quite good at her job. I know you think she is useless and incompetent, but you're wrong. She is a whiz at business and a great asset to Sheffield Productions. Things would run a lot more smoothly around here if you would make an effort to get along with her."

"Whatever you say, sir. ... She will be gone over a month?"

"Establishing new business relationships doesn't happen overnight. What's it to you? You're awfully interested in this."

"Idle curiosity. I want to know how long my peace and quiet will last until the Wicked Witch of the East comes flying back in on her broomstick."

After pumping Maxwell for every possible detail about Miss Babcock's business trip and getting thrown out of the office in the process, Niles went to his room and paced the floor for the remainder of the afternoon. The thought of not seeing C.C. for an entire month sickened him. Several times he picked up the phone to call her, but he never placed a call. What would I say to her? Don't go to Europe because even though I work as a domestic and I'm engaged to my pregnant girlfriend, I want to marry you? Even if there were the slightest chance of her having feelings for him, Niles knew he couldn't drag her into the sordid mess his life had become. In the end, he decided not to try to stop C.C. from leaving. He had nothing to offer her but himself and he was not enough. Wanting C.C. was like wanting to touch the stars. It was impossible.

TNTNTNTNTNTN

A few days after C.C.'s departure, Marta called Niles and asked him to meet her in the park. Thus far, he had successfully avoided Marta, due in no small part because she had been strangely absent herself, but Niles knew he couldn't avoid her forever. They were, after all, engaged to be married, and Miss Babcock was an ocean away. There was nothing left for him to do but forget about C.C. and throw himself into marriage and parenthood. On his way to the park, he impulsively bought a teddy bear for the baby and an engagement ring for Marta. As he entered the park, he deliberately put a spring in his step and plastered a smile on his face, resolving once and for all not to make his unhappiness Marta's unhappiness.

He found her sitting on their favorite bench by a large fountain. As he approached her from behind, he let out a low whistle. "Hey there, gorgeous," he called before running his hand through her hair and giving her shoulder a squeeze. "Pregnancy certainly looks good on you. I have a surprise for you, for both of you." He sat down beside her and handed her the fuzzy brown bear. "This is for the baby, and this –" he dipped his hand into his pocket and pulled out a box, "is for you." He opened the box, unveiling a small diamond ring on a platinum band, and thrust it at her. "I thought we should make it official. I hope you like it." So lost in keeping up his eager fiancé charade, Niles had failed to notice that Marta was terribly upset. When the ring was met with silence, he finally looked her in the face. Red and puffy eyes were the telltale signs she had been crying.

"Marta! What's wrong?"

She sniffled and raked her eyes with the back of her hand. "Niles, I have some bad news."

Panic seized him. "What is it? Is something the matter with the baby?"

Trying her best not to fall apart, she hugged the bear and managed to rasp out, "That's just it. There is no baby."

Niles felt his heart break. "You had a miscarriage?"

She shook her head. "No. The pregnancy test was mistaken or maybe, I did it wrong. I, I…don't know…I saw my doctor, and he told me I'm not pregnant. I'm so sorry, Niles. I never meant to mislead you. I should have confirmed it with my doctor before I ever told you I was pregnant, but the pregnancy test I used claimed to be 99% accurate. It never crossed my mind that it could be wrong."

"Oh, Marta! You have nothing to apologize for! What's important is that you're okay. Are you okay?"

She took a ragged breath. "I'm okay. Physically, I'm fine. All the tests came back normal, but my doctor thinks I'm entering into the early stages of menopause." She smiled ruefully, "I told you before, I'm no spring chicken."

Niles took her into his arms and she began to cry. "Where does that leave us, Niles? The doctor says it's still within the realm of possibility that I can have a baby, but time is running out. We even discussed fertility treatments." She felt his body stiffen, and she pulled away from him.

"I can't tell you how disappointed I am about the baby. I was so looking forward to being a father." His words were heartfelt for he had honestly wanted the baby. He had wanted it almost as much as he had ever wanted anything in his life.

"But," she prompted.

He closed the ring box and put it back into his pocket. "But, the past few days have been a roller coaster ride. When we thought we had a baby on the way, we had no choice but to plan for the future, but now that we have been handed some bad news, I think we both need to stop and catch our breath."

"You don't want to marry me, do you?" she asked softly.

"Marta, please, I don't think now is the time to discuss this. We are both too upset."

"No. I want to have this out now. Tell me the truth. Have I done something wrong?"

"It's not you, it's me," he said, using the most clichéd break-up line in the history of the dating universe. "Marta, I care for you deeply, but I know now that I am not in love with you. I'm sorry to be so blunt, but you asked for the truth. The last thing I ever wanted to do is hurt you, and hurting you is exactly what I am doing."

She stared down at the bear in her lap. "Then the only reason you agreed to marry me is because of the baby?"

"Remember when you told me that you felt I was withholding a part of myself from you? I've only recently come to realize that you are correct. Marta, I would love to give you my heart, but the problem is that it isn't mine to give. My heart is owned by someone else."

"So it is another woman?" she asked, the question laced with accusation. "I thought we were in an exclusive relationship."

"It is another woman, but not in the way you think. I am not having an affair. It sounds ludicrous, but I have been in love with this woman without knowing it for years. I never realized it until you and I decided to get married. Our engagement brought my feelings for her to the surface, and I cannot pretend they don't exist anymore. I know now that I have always been in love with her, and I always will be. I am so sorry for leading you on. For what it's worth, I didn't mean to."

"Who is she, Niles?"

"It's C.C., Miss Babcock."

Marta's expression changed from hurt to shock. "That bitch?" she seethed. "Niles, I can't believe this! You and Fran have told me how badly she treats both you and half of New York City, the poor half, that is. Mr. Smythe knows her. He told me she comes from a family of vipers. You even went out of your way to keep me from meeting her because you were afraid of how she would treat me. How can you throw what we have away for the likes of her?"

"Marta, you don't know how less complicated my life would be if I could forget about C.C. and be with you. But, in the end, I don't know if I could have gone through with marrying you even if there was a baby. If I had, I would have been cheating you, me, and perhaps even C.C. out of the chance to find real happiness."

"Does she know how you feel?"

"No, and I don't know if I will ever have the courage to tell her."

"She isn't right for you, Niles."

"You don't know her like I do. Underneath her flinty exterior, she is an extraordinary woman. She needs someone she can love and trust and who loves her in return to bring out the best in her. I want to be that person for her. She's never had unconditional love from anyone in her life, not even her family."

"It's not your job to fix her, Niles."

He shrugged helplessly. "I don't want to fix her. I simply want to love her."

Marta's eyes were as hard and as black as coal, glowing with contempt. "You're making a mistake, throwing away what we have. You are not thinking with your brain."

"Please believe me. I never wanted you to get hurt. I wish I could love you in the way you deserve to be loved. You deserve to be with someone who loves and wants only you."

"What about you? What do you deserve? Do you seriously expect Miss Babcock to marry you? You know as well as I do that people of her class seldom marry the help."

"Whether or not she'll have me, there is no one for me but C.C. I'm sorry, Marta." The word sorry seemed so hollow, but there was nothing else he could say.

"I'm sorry, too. I think you will regret this." She leaned over and kissed his cheek. "Give me a call if you ever wake up and face reality." As she walked away, she tossed the stuffed bear into a garbage can.

Niles watched her go and then retrieved the bear. With tender care, he brushed off the bear and straightened its red bowtie. The bear was a symbol of a child that was real to him, even if it had never actually existed, and he couldn't leave it in the trash. He walked aimlessly around the park with it, contemplating all he had lost: the baby, Marta, C.C., though like the baby, he had never really had her, either.

After several circles around the park, the small box in his pocket feeling like a brick, he found himself back to his and Marta's favorite bench by the fountain. The bench was now occupied by a young woman with a toddler, a boy with large brown eyes and milk chocolate skin who closely matched the image in Niles' mind of the child he thought he and Marta would have. His mother was laughing at the little boy's attempts to turn a somersault. Niles watched them from a distance through misty eyes. Finally, the boy successfully turned a flip, and both he and his mother clapped their hands with glee. Approaching them, Niles gave the bear one last squeeze, and with unshed tears rendering him unable to speak, he nodded to the boy's mother who understood his intent. After swallowing the lump in his throat, he presented the bear to the boy. "My friend, Teddy here, told me he wants to go home with you," he hoarsely whispered to the boy. The delighted child hugged the bear and then threw his arms around Niles' legs. Niles smiled down at him and ruffled his curly hair, then he quickly walked away as tears flowed freely down his face.

After returning the ring, with a large measure of embarrassment, to the jeweler, Niles dejectedly returned home and went immediately to Maxwell's office. He dreaded the prospect of telling Mr. Sheffield his marriage was off, but he needed to get all the unpleasant tasks of dismantling his dreams over with.

Maxwell looked up from his paperwork and quipped sarcastically, "Good afternoon, Niles! So nice of you to show up for work today." His tone relaxed a bit as he continued, "No offense, old man, but I will be glad when you and Marta get settled down as an old married couple. Perhaps when you come down off cloud nine, you might manage to get a little more work done around here…By the way, we have an appointment with a contractor tomorrow."

Niles sat down without invitation and nervously cleared his throat. "Sir, there is something you should know. Marta and I called off our engagement."

Maxwell leaned back in his chair and asked with disappointment and concern, "Why, Niles? What happened?"

Niles tried to keep his expression and his voice as neutral as possible. "It turns out the pregnancy was a false alarm, and we agreed to end our relationship. I think we were trying too hard to make a romance out of nothing more than a nice friendship."

Maxwell hurt for his friend, but trying to match Niles' neutrality he responded with a concise, "I see. I'm very sorry. It's a shame."

"Yes, it is," Niles agreed.

TNTNTNTNTNTN

C.C.'s stay in Europe extended over two months. The trip had been a rousing success and she knew Maxwell would be pleased. She had both worked hard and played hard, but no matter how hard she worked during the day or how much she drank at night or how many tourist attractions she visited on the weekends, she couldn't manage to get a certain butler off her mind. C.C. had never been in love, but she was beginning to suspect that love is exactly what she felt for Niles. His engagement to Marta made her heartsick, drove her out of town in the hopes that distance would ease the pain. But her time away from Niles only served to prove the old saying true, absence really does make the heart grow fonder. Absence also put her out of the loop. For all she knew, Niles could be married by now. She had spoken to Maxwell quite often, but business matters dominated their conversations, and there was little reason for them to discuss anything else. Due to Niles' anger at him for telling C.C. about his engagement, Maxwell had not mentioned anything more about Niles and Marta to her, and for her part, C.C. had too much pride to ask about Niles. Now, her trip had wound down, and there was nothing left to do but get on a plane and face Niles as a family man.

After his break up with Marta, Niles fell into a deep funk. His dream of having a family was dashed, and more importantly, his dream of winning C.C. seemed hopeless. He moped around the house, a shadow of his former witty, spry self, causing Miss Fine and Mr. Sheffield a great deal of concern about him. They never expected Niles to behave this way over a failed relationship, but they were aware of only half the story.

Like so many other times during the past few weeks, Fran found Niles in the kitchen staring blankly into space. This time, the tea kettle was screaming while he sat at the kitchen table with his head in his hands. Fran took the kettle off the burner and sat down beside him. She, too, went unnoticed until she snapped her fingers in front of his face. "Niles, are you ever going to snap out of it?"

"Snap out of what?" he asked as he grabbed a nearby sponge and started to wipe the table.

"Hello! This deep, dark depression you are in."

Grateful that Fran, unlike Mr. Sheffield, had decided to stop walking on eggshells around him, Niles put down the sponge and sighed, "I know I'm the one who broke up with Marta, but I can't help wondering what I am missing out on. Maybe, I should have stayed with her and tried to start a family. I'm thinking of giving her a call."

Fran emphatically shook her head no. "Niles! You aren't in love with her! Marta's not the only fish in the sea. Has it ever occurred to you that things didn't work out with her because you weren't meant to be with her? Who's to say you won't run smack into Ms. Right when you least expect it?"

"I don't see how things can change when Ms. Right is Miss –" He made a show of looking at his watch, "Look how late it is! I have to start dinner. Better make sure Mr. Sheffield's in the mood for lamp chops." Fleeing from Fran before she questioned him about what he had just said or rather did not say, he rushed blindly through the kitchen door and collided with someone about to come through it. Niles didn't need to see her face to know who it was. The faint scent of her perfume gave her away. She stumbled into him, and as he had so many weeks ago after she had sprained her ankle and he had caught her up into his arms, he held on to her a few moments longer than necessary.

This time, C.C. didn't want to be held. She roughly shoved him away from her. "Why don't you watch where you're going, Soap Scum?!"

The mere sight of her sent Niles on a trip to heaven, but he quickly stepped into their old adversarial routine. "Me?" he asked with indignation. "You're the clumsy ox! In fact, the last time I saw you, you had tripped and fallen. If you're not more careful, you're going to maim an innocent person."

The sight of him made C.C. realize that her time away had done no good. All the pain his relationship with Marta caused her knifed through her heart as did the love she felt for him. "Go to hell, Niles," she snapped. "I just got back, and I'm too jet lagged to fight with you."

Fran stepped out of the kitchen to see what the ruckus was about. "Niles, look who arrived while you were out this afternoon."

"Nanny Fine, tell Maxwell I will finish filling him in on the trip tomorrow. I'm going home." With one last scowl at Niles, C.C. stomped out the front door and slammed it shut.

As Niles stared after C.C.'s retreating form, Fran saw the look of adoration on his face. "Oh my Gawd!" she squawked. "It's Miss Babcock?! You're in love with Miss Babcock?! She's the fireworks lady?"

"Shh! Quiet down! What if she heard you?"

Fran was practically jumping up and down. "Is it true? It is, isn't it?"

Knowing he was busted, Niles simply nodded.

"You have to tell her how you feel!"

"I can't!" he replied aghast. "It might ruin everything."

"Ruin what? How can your life get any worse? If she's the one, you have to tell her. Go on, Niles! Go!" She pushed him out the door, and he hurried to C.C.'s apartment. He didn't know what he was going to say to her, but he knew he had to try to make her understand how he felt about her.

TNTNTNTNTNTN

"What are you doing here?" C.C. asked brusquely as she flung open her door, aiming it at his nose. "If Maxwell sent you to get my notes on the trip, you can march right back and tell him he can damn well wait until tomorrow. I haven't even had a chance to unpack yet."

"Mr. Sheffield didn't send me."

Remembering what happened the last time Niles had showed up at her place, C.C. tried to slam the door in his face. Deftly dodging the flying door, Niles pushed his way inside. "Please, let me in. Please. I have to talk to you."

C.C. allowed him in without putting up more of a fight mostly because she wanted to find out where things stood between him and Marta. When she arrived at the Sheffield mansion earlier this afternoon, she had fully expected to find Marta there, but there had been no sign of Marta and nobody had mentioned her, and C.C. wouldn't have dared to ask about her.

"Say what you have to say and get out," she snarled as she sank down on her sofa.

"May I sit down?"

She shrugged as if she didn't care one way or the other. "Whatever."

Niles sat down on the coffee table in front of her. She tried to move away from him, but he caught her knees between his thighs and held her there. Then he tried to take her hands, but she jerked them away. "C.C., please let me try to explain the night I came here and, uh, kissed you." Kiss was an inadequate word for what had happened between them, and they both knew it.

"What's to explain? You barged in here and molested me when you were engaged to another woman. What were you trying to do, Niles? Have one last roll in the hay before you got tied to the proverbial ball and chain? I won't let you use me to get your kicks before you become somebody else's husband."

"Is that what you think? Do you honestly believe I was trying to use you for one last premarital fling?"

"Isn't it true?" she spat.

Despite her anger toward him, Niles' heart soared. "So when you slapped me, it wasn't because a lowly butler had dared to kiss you?"

C.C. turned her head away from him. "What difference does it make?" she asked, staring out the window.

"Please answer my question," he begged as he reached out and turned her face toward him. "It may make all the difference in the world."

"All right! I was, am furious because you hurt me. You come in here, kiss me senseless, then push me away and say you're sorry. You're sorry?! You were using me, Niles. For what I don't know, but I won't stand for it."

"C.C., I wasn't using you. I had a question that could only be answered by kissing you. When I got my answer, I didn't know how to react."

"Damn it, Niles, you're not making any sense," she replied helplessly, wanting to believe there was something more between them than a few impulsive kisses spread out over years of fighting.

"It's over between Marta and me. We called off our engagement right after you left for Europe."

C.C.'s heart filled with joy, but she didn't let on to him. "What about the baby?"

"It turned out that Marta wasn't pregnant after all. Without the baby to help hold us together, we realized we were making a mistake."

"Is that what you came here to tell me?"

"Yes, partly."

"What does it have to do with me?"

He took her hands, and this time, C.C. let him. Her fingers trembled under his touch. "Quite simply, I could not marry Marta when I am in love with you."

"Don't say it unless you mean it," she pleaded.

"Sweetheart, it's the truth. I have buried my feelings for you for years. My love for you has been like a white elephant in the room that I refused to acknowledge. My relationship with Marta was a house of cards, a hollow, empty shell. Only you can fill the void in my heart and in my life. C.C., I love you, only you."

C.C. was both terrified and elated at the same time. Niles had said the words she had dreamt he would say.

"I love you. Please let me show you how much." He leaned forward and gently kissed her. This kiss was different than the previous ones. Niles started slow and at first, he barely touched her. His lips were like a soft whisper against her mouth. She knew he was giving her the opportunity to end it if she wanted. When she didn't resist, he strengthened the kiss, and she wrapped her arms around his neck. Niles could feel the sparks flying. Fireworks! he thought triumphantly. He rained kisses around her ear and under her jaw. He smelled the heavenly fragrance of her perfume and remembered how he had once wondered what other secret places held the scent as well. As he trailed kisses down her throat, he began to unbutton her blouse. He kissed the porcelain skin he bared and inhaled her scent.

Niles stopped his sweet assault and looked into her eyes. "I hope you don't think I am a bloody cad, but it's all over between Marta and me. It should have never gotten started in the first place. You are the one I have always wanted, have always loved. Please C.C., may I make love to you? I need to show how I feel."

"Yes, Niles!" she answered breathlessly. She locked her legs around his waist and pulled herself up on his lap. Then, she gave him a scorching kiss.

He stood up and carried her still wound around him in search of the bedroom. After he found it, he laid her on the bed and ardently made love to her. The experience was more beautiful and passionate than he ever thought possible. How foolish of him to think that he could ever be satisfied with anyone else! Afterward, as C.C. lay on top of him with her head resting on his chest, Niles tried to work up the courage to ask her if she meant what she had said a few minutes ago. At the pinnacle of her passion, he had distinctly heard her say, "I love you, Niles." He prayed she sincerely meant it.

He tilted up her chin and brushed back her hair so he could look into her eyes. "C.C., what you said, is it true?" he asked almost shyly. She wavered, and he could see the fear and uncertainty in her eyes and felt her heart racing against his chest. "I want you to know that you can trust me. You're safe with me. I will never leave you. I love you, and that is never going to change."

Tears swam in her eyes. "I meant what I said. I love you, Niles." She burrowed into his embrace as if trying to fuse herself to him.

He kissed the palm of her hand and the top of her head. Then, he made his way down to her mouth and kissed her tenderly. "C.C., if you will let me, I want to spend the rest of my life cherishing you, adoring you. Baby, I love you so much."

"I want to be with you forever, Niles."

He gave her another fiery kiss and rolled her onto her back. "Fireworks," she heard him murmur.

"What did you say?"

"Fireworks." He grinned as he began to make love to her again. "I'll explain later."

The End

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